Former PTO president charged with grand theft

Published: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 5:09 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 5:09 p.m.

The former president of an elementary school parent teacher organization was arrested Thursday on a warrant for grand theft.

Sheriff’s Detective T.J. Watts and Deputy Eugene Harper arrested Sharon Sinclair Medina, 44, at 9:19 a.m. at 4950 SW 129th Court and took her to the Marion County Jail, from which she was released on $5,000 bond at 1:35 p.m.

The warrant was signed Wednesday. On Tuesday, Watts had gone to Medina’s home but she declined to talk to him, saying she had hired Charles Holloman as her attorney.

Watts began his investigation in November 2012 into a report of questionable activity involving the PTO president at Dunnellon Elementary School, which occurred from February 2012 to October 2012 and totaled $2,818.11.

The school principal told Watts the parent teacher organization’s record keeping was not good so she watched the account. The district, she said, changed the auditing process for support groups such as the PTO, so they got their own account. The principal said she noticed the PTO debit card had been used and told Medina not to use the card, but to use checks and make sure everyone who needed to signed off on them.

The principal told Watts the PTO treasurer and secretary told her they wanted to put money into the account but were skeptical of doing so because money was not being properly deposited. The principal said she decided to shut down the PTO in mid-October and ordered an audit.

After reviewing the account with the State Attorney’s Office, officials noted that some of the transactions included a check for $216.59 written to Medina’s husband, who had built a kindergarten graduation bridge in 2011; a check for $738.50 to a bakery; two cash withdrawals from an ATM for $420; and purchases of gasoline using the debit card.

None of the transactions had receipts, officials said.

A former PTO board member told the detective she never approved for Medina to use PTO funds for such things as purchasing fuel or obtaining money from ATM withdrawals. She alleged Medina would “do things on her own” and “did not want to be questioned.”

<p>The former president of an elementary school parent teacher organization was arrested Thursday on a warrant for grand theft.</p><p>Sheriff's Detective T.J. Watts and Deputy Eugene Harper arrested Sharon Sinclair Medina, 44, at 9:19 a.m. at 4950 SW 129th Court and took her to the Marion County Jail, from which she was released on $5,000 bond at 1:35 p.m.</p><p>The warrant was signed Wednesday. On Tuesday, Watts had gone to Medina's home but she declined to talk to him, saying she had hired Charles Holloman as her attorney.</p><p>Watts began his investigation in November 2012 into a report of questionable activity involving the PTO president at Dunnellon Elementary School, which occurred from February 2012 to October 2012 and totaled $2,818.11.</p><p>The school principal told Watts the parent teacher organization's record keeping was not good so she watched the account. The district, she said, changed the auditing process for support groups such as the PTO, so they got their own account. The principal said she noticed the PTO debit card had been used and told Medina not to use the card, but to use checks and make sure everyone who needed to signed off on them.</p><p>The principal told Watts the PTO treasurer and secretary told her they wanted to put money into the account but were skeptical of doing so because money was not being properly deposited. The principal said she decided to shut down the PTO in mid-October and ordered an audit.</p><p>After reviewing the account with the State Attorney's Office, officials noted that some of the transactions included a check for $216.59 written to Medina's husband, who had built a kindergarten graduation bridge in 2011; a check for $738.50 to a bakery; two cash withdrawals from an ATM for $420; and purchases of gasoline using the debit card.</p><p>None of the transactions had receipts, officials said.</p><p>A former PTO board member told the detective she never approved for Medina to use PTO funds for such things as purchasing fuel or obtaining money from ATM withdrawals. She alleged Medina would “do things on her own” and “did not want to be questioned.”</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>